🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you think a trip means renting a car, booking a tour and paying steep entry fees, Samut Songkhram will change your mind. Mae Klong town sits just over an hour from Bangkok, the food is cheap, the sights are within walking distance of each other, and the charm here is the riverside atmosphere and old-market way of life — not something you have to pay for. We've built this plan for people without a car, getting around purely by train and songthaew, and keeping the whole trip to around 1,300–1,500 baht per person, one night of accommodation included.
How to take the train from Bangkok to Mae Klong
The train route to Mae Klong is a classic for budget travellers, because the fares are tiny and you get the full atmosphere. The catch is that this line is broken in the middle — it doesn't run end to end — so you have to take a boat across the Tha Chin River for one stretch along the way.
- Step 1 — Wongwian Yai → Mahachai Catch the train at Wongwian Yai station (Thonburi side), around 10 baht, about 1 hour.
- Step 2 — Cross the river at Mahachai Take the ferry across the Tha Chin River to the Ban Laem side, 3–5 baht; it's a short walk from the pier to Ban Laem station.
- Step 3 — Ban Laem → Mae Klong Board another train, around 10 baht; the end of the line is Mae Klong station, which runs straight into the Maeklong umbrella market.
- Alternative if you'd rather not change so many times Take a Bangkok–Mae Klong minivan from Sai Tai Mai, around 70–90 baht; it's faster but you miss the train experience.
Check the train times before you go
The Mae Klong line only runs a few times a day — morning and late morning — and if you miss a departure you'll wait a while. Check the schedule with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) before you set out, and leave a bit of buffer for the ferry crossing at Mahachai.
Book the activities in your Samut Songkhram trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Budget accommodation in Amphawa–Mae Klong
The heart of travelling cheap here is where you sleep. Amphawa has plenty of canal-side guesthouses and homestays starting at a few hundred baht, especially on weekdays when prices drop a lot. If you go Saturday–Sunday when the floating market is open, prices climb and rooms fill fast, so book ahead.
Canal-side homestay in Amphawa
Fan or air-con rooms by the water, starting around 500–700 baht on weekdays, within walking distance of the floating market and quiet at night.
Guesthouse in Mae Klong town
Close to the train station and the umbrella market — handy if you arrive by train and don't want to travel far again. Prices run from a few hundred to just over a thousand baht.
Hostel / dorm bed
Some places have budget dorm beds for solo travellers, which knocks your accommodation cost down further — good for serious backpackers.
Trick for saving on the room
If your schedule allows, stay over on a weekday and hit the floating market on Saturday morning before heading back. Weekday room rates are nearly half what they are on weekends, and there are far fewer people.
Day 1 plan — Mae Klong, the umbrella market, and Amphawa in the evening
Mae Klong → Amphawa (firefly boat)
What to know about the fireflies
Fireflies show up best on moonless, rain-free nights. Choose a boat that goes slowly and turns its lights off for a better atmosphere. The rainy season (May–Oct) usually has more of them than the cool season.
Day 2 plan — temples, morning market, and back to Bangkok
Amphawa → Wat Bang Kung → back to Bangkok
Cheap eats you shouldn't miss
Mae Klong mackerel
The short, bent-faced mackerel this town is known for — good fried or in soup, found at curry-rice shops and the fresh market. It's one of the most wallet-friendly things to eat here.
Fried / stir-fried razor clams
Don Hoi Lot is in this province, so the seafood is fresh and cheap. Try the crispy fried oysters or stir-fried razor clams at Amphawa floating market.
Grilled prawns / canal-side food
The boat vendors in the floating market sell grilled prawns and grilled squid you can order to share, priced by size. To keep it cheap, get a small plate and split it.
Riverside Thai sweets
Thai desserts along the Amphawa canal — thong yip, khanom krok, sponge cakes — just a few baht each, perfect for grazing as you walk.
Old-style coffee at the morning market
The old-school coffee shops in the Mae Klong and Amphawa morning markets serve hot coffee with patongko — a light, local-style breakfast.
The real trip budget, laid out baht by baht
Here's the estimated per-person budget for a 2-day, 1-night trip travelling by train and songthaew. Prices may shift with the season and the day you go, but the overall picture stays within this range.
- Round-trip travel to/from Bangkok Train + ferry crossing, around 50–60 baht (add about 80 baht if you take a minivan on the way back).
- Songthaew / motorbike around the area Around 60–100 baht for the whole trip.
- One night's accommodation From 500–700 baht (weekday; split it if you're in a group).
- Food for 4 meals + snacks Around 300–400 baht.
- Firefly boat Around 60–80 baht.
- Rough total 1,000–1,400 baht per person · if you go as a group and split the room, it comes down further.
You can cut the budget even more if…
Go as a group of 2–4 and split the room · choose a shared firefly boat instead of chartering one · eat at the fresh market instead of the pricier floating-market stalls · bring a refillable water bottle. You can easily get the whole trip down to just over a thousand baht.
Want a different kind of Samut Songkhram plan? Check out the full Mae Klong city guide.
See the Samut Songkhram guide →